What it is: a straightforward, nuts-and-bolts guide to understanding the mystifying world of consumer credit and your credit score, including what to do in the case of fraud and identity theft and how to navigate divorce, financing a new home, or handling school loans.

Why you might like it: Though author Anthony Davenport is an industry insider, he writes in an accessible style -- “readers will feel like Davenport is sitting right next to them” (Booklist).

What it is: a science-based examination of the psychology of eating. This is not a diet book; rather, it’s a look at the complex relationship between food consumption and our senses.

Why you might like it: Author Rachel Herz excels at explaining complex scientific ideas and theories in an engaging, fun way, tackling topics such as how listening to music (or watching TV) can alter the experience of eating.

What it is: an inspirational look at how cultivating a can-do attitude and positive life outlook will help you achieve business and personal success.

Why you might like it: In addition to her blueprint for building a joyful life, author and entrepreneur Joy Mangano (from the Home Shopping Network) shares her thoroughly entertaining rags-to-riches life story.

Book buzz: Mangano’s story is also charted in the award-winning 2015 biographical film Joy, starring Jennifer Lawrence.

What it is: a unique month-long program that can help you limit or stop drinking at home without attending support groups or going to rehab.

About the authors: Jack Canfield created the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series; Dave Andrews is a recovering alcoholic – and an addiction recovery expert. Together they developed this 5-step empowerment program, which includes instructions on what to do each day of the 30-day journey.

What sets it apart: Straightforward and sincere, this guide offers help and inspiration to those in need.

What it is: a detailed and compassionate guide for families of those who are battling addiction.

What’s inside: Author Debra Jay’s plan for “Structured Family Recovery” includes running a weekly family meeting, holding family conference calls, and enrolling in a 12-step support group. She also lists warning signs of relapse and provides family recovery checklists.

What it is: an eye-opening look at the rise of risky drinking by women and teenage girls since the beginning of the feminist movement.

Why you might like it: Canadian author Ann Dowsett Johnston combines research into topics like the health effects of drinking, the trend of “drunkorexia,” and marketing ploys by alcoholic beverage companies with her own compelling personal story of turning to drink as a working mother in the 1970s.

Further reading: For additional personal stories about women and drinking, check out the anthology Drinking Diaries.

What it is: an unorthodox yet research-based approach to conquering a variety of addictions -- from smoking to shopping -- without entering a 12-step or other rehabilitation program.

About the authors: Dr. Frederick Woolverton is an addiction and recovery expert who runs the Village Institute for Psychotherapy. Coauthor Susan Shapiro is a recovering alcohol and marijuana addict -- and one of Dr. Woolverton’s former patients.